Cirsium vulgare
I found these spear thistles growing on Foudland Hill on a particularly dreich day. Against the muted landscape, their strong, architectural forms and flashes of purple immediately caught my eye.
This study brings together several stages of the plant, from tightly held flower heads through to full bloom and the softer, fading remains of the flower. I was particularly drawn to the contrast between the formidable spines and the fine, almost feathery purple florets.
Painted in watercolour, the piece celebrates a plant that can seem rough and uncompromising from a distance, but reveals an extraordinary amount of structure and detail when you stop to look.
Original botanical watercolour
180 × 240 mm
Professional watercolours on 100% cotton, 140 lb paper
Original artwork
Available